Story of the prince to whom the true kingdom displayed itself, (so that the realities of) "on the Day when a man shall flee from his brother and his mother and his father" became the object of his immediate experience; (and he saw that) the kingdom of this earth-heap of the childish (is like the game) called "castle-taking," (in which) the child that gains the victory mounts upon the earth-heap and says boastfully, "The castle belongs to me," while the other children envy him; for (to play with) earth is the pastime of boys. When the prince was delivered from the bondage of colours, he said, "I say that these coloured pieces of earth (earthly gauds) are just the same vile earth; I do not call them gold and satin and brocade: I have been delivered from this brocade (aksún) and have gone to that which is simple (yaksún)." (God hath said), "And We bestowed wisdom upon him whilst he was yet a boy"; it needeth not the passing of (many) years for (any one to receive) the guidance of God: none speaks of the capacity to receive in (connexion with) the Power of Be, and it is.

پادشاهی داشت یک برنا پسر ** باطن و ظاهر مزین از هنر3085

A certain king had a young son, adorned with excellence within and without.

خواب دید او کان پسر ناگه بمرد ** صافی عالم بر آن شه گشت درد

He dreamed that suddenly that son died: the pure (pleasure) of the world was changed, for the king, to dregs.

خشک شد از تاب آتش مشک او ** که نماند از تف آتش اشک او

His water-skin (eye) was dried up by the heat of the fire (of anguish), for because of the glow of the fire his tears remained not.

آنچنان پر شد ز دود و درد شاه ** که نمی‌یابید در وی راه آه

The king became so full of smoke and grief that sighs were finding no way (of entrance) into him.

خواست مردن قالبش بی‌کار شد ** عمر مانده بود شه بیدار شد

He was about to die, his body became inert; (but) his life had been left (for completion): the king awoke.

شادیی آمد ز بیداریش پیش ** که ندیده بود اندر عمر خویش3090

From awaking, there came to him a joy which he had not experienced in (all) his life;

که ز شادی خواست هم فانی شدن ** بس مطوق آمد این جان و بدن

For (now) from joy likewise he was about to perish: this spirit and body is mightily shackled with the collar (of death).

از دم غم می‌بمیرد این چراغ ** وز دم شادی بمیرد اینت لاغ

This lamp dies from (is extinguished by) the breath of sorrow, and it also dies from the breath of joy. Here, look you, is a pleasant jest!

در میان این دو مرگ او زنده است ** این مطوق شکل جای خنده است

He (Man) is living between these two deaths: this (being) that resembles one shackled with a collar is an occasion for laughter.

شاه با خود گفت شادی را سبب ** آنچنان غم بود از تسبیب رب

The king said to himself, “In consequence of the Lord's causation such a sorrow as that was the cause of joy.”

ای عجب یک چیز از یک روی مرگ ** وان ز یک روی دگر احیا و برگ3095

Oh, wonderful (that) the same thing from one aspect (is) death and from another aspect a quickening with life and a provision!

آن یکی نسبت بدان حالت هلاک ** باز هم آن سوی دیگر امتساک

The same thing is destructive in relation to one circumstance, while again it is preservative in regard to another.

شادی تن سوی دنیاوی کمال ** سوی روز عاقبت نقص و زوال

Bodily joy is perfection in regard to that which is of the present world, (but it is) defect and failure in regard to the Day of the latter end.

خنده را در خواب هم تعبیر خوان ** گریه گوید با دریغ و اندهان

The oneiromancer, too, declares laughter in dreams to be (a presage of) weeping with regrets and griefs,

گریه را در خواب شادی و فرح ** هست در تعبیر ای صاحب مرح

(While) for weeping in dreams joy and gladness are (presaged) in the interpretation, O gleeful man.

شاه اندیشید کین غم خود گذشت ** لیک جان از جنس این بدظن گشت3100

The king pondered, saying, “This sorrow, indeed, is past, but my soul has become suspicious (has misgivings and fears) of (being afflicted by) one of the same kind;

ور رسد خاری چنین اندر قدم ** که رود گل یادگاری بایدم

And if such a thorn enter my foot (if such a calamity befall me) that the rose departs (that my son dies), I must needs have a keepsake.”

چون فنا را شد سبب بی‌منتهی ** پس کدامین راه را بندیم ما

Since the causes of mortality are infinite, which road, then, shall we bar?

صد دریچه و در سوی مرگ لدیغ ** می‌کند اندر گشادن ژیغ ژیغ

A hundred windows and doors facing towards mordant death are ever creaking as they are opened,

ژیغ‌ژیغ تلخ آن درهای مرگ ** نشنود گوش حریص از حرص برگ

(But) from greed for (worldly) provision the ear of the covetous does not hear the harsh creaking of those doors of death.

از سوی تن دردها بانگ درست ** وز سوی خصمان جفا بانگ درست3105

From the side of the body, pains are the noise of the door; and from the side of enemies, maltreatment is the noise of the door.

جان سر بر خوان دمی فهرست طب ** نار علتها نظر کن ملتهب

My dear friend, read for one moment the table of contents of (books on) Medicine; look at the flaming fire of diseases!

زان همه غرها درین خانه رهست ** هر دو گامی پر ز کزدمها چهست

Through all those tumours (maladies) there is a way (for death) into this house: at every two steps there is a pit full of scorpions.

باد تندست و چراغم ابتری ** زو بگیرانم چراغ دیگری

(The king said), “The wind is fierce and my lamp is a docked (imperfect) one: I will light another lamp from it,

تا بود کز هر دو یک وافی شود ** گر به باد آن یک چراغ از جا رود

So that maybe one complete (lamp) will arise from them both, if that one lamp be put out by the wind,”

هم‌چو عارف کن تن ناقص چراغ ** شمع دل افروخت از بهر فراغ3110

Like the gnostic who, for the sake of (gaining) freedom from care, has lit the candle of the heart (spirit) from this defective lamp of the body,

تا که روزی کین بمیرد ناگهان ** پیش چشم خود نهد او شمع جان

In order that, one day when this (bodily lamp) dies of a sudden, he may place before his eye the candle of the spirit.

او نکرد این فهم پس داد از غرر ** شمع فانی را بفانیی دگر

He (the king) did not understand this; therefore in his heedlessness he applied the perishing candle to another perishable.

عروس آوردن پادشاه فرزند خود را از خوف انقطاع نسل

How the king brought his son a bride for fear of his race coming to an end.

پس عروسی خواست باید بهر او ** تا نماید زین تزوج نسل رو

(The king said to himself), “It is necessary, then, to seek a bride for him, that from this marriage offspring may appear,

گر رود سوی فنا این باز باز ** فرخ او گردد ز بعد باز باز

(So that) if this falcon (my son) return to the state of mortality his young may become a falcon after (the death of) the falcon,